Fate of a Feather
by Ashyx
Summary: ooomg SUCH a lame title...kinda...well, Syaoran and co. discover a new world where a plague has destroyed a small town. They meet up with a suspicious man named Akito and his socalled Nephew who has a starnge power linked to the sakura's feathers.


**I'm finally writing my Tsubasa fic:D I love that anime! The characters are so great! XD**

**I don't own TC – if I did then…I don't know – I'd have more than $10, all the volumes of the manga I _want_, a Playstation 2 and 3, both Final Fantasy VII and XIII (once it comes out), and Kingdom Hearts I/II?--; yeah…I think everyone knows I don't own Tsubasa Chronicles anyways **

**Read on dear readers! I think I may make this a tragedy in the end of the story…not sure yet :P I always write sad endings – like my Eragon/Eldest story . sorry! I'll stop talking!**

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The wind blew through a small, desolate town. Nobody was out in the streets except a regal-looking man. He was covered in an indigo-blue cloak with his long, black hair fell about his shoulders. He smirked evilly at the locked doors of all the houses; the few people who were left lived in fear of the epidemic that had raged throughout the town just weeks before. The boy who was with him wore a black cloak with a network of blue threats crisscrossing around the dark fabric. His hair was pitch-black and was clumped in large, dense spikes. Large, dark-blue eyes peered from underneath his large bangs, seeing the many buildings that had crumbled except a few houses and town's entrance's archway.

"It all happened because of you," the stranger said triumphantly to the boy, "Because you gave me this power."

He walked to the town's square, the younger person following closely behind him. There was a fountain with a small crack in its side in the center of the plaza. Dark, grey-tinted water sprinkled out of the spout. Flowerbeds were now patches of dirt with withered plants lying in them. There was no sign of life around them except the flicker of a small candle behind the blinds of a window. Even the land surrounding the village had been clear-cut and drained of all nutrients. The air was cold and clammy as it swerved its way between the buildings.

"Looks like the epidemic affected more than just the people," the man grinned.

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A gust of wind swept through the trees as a huge blob swelled from the ground. It popped suddenly, revealing 4 people and a white, rabbit-like creature.

"We're here!" Mokona announced bouncily as he landed on Kurogane's head.

"Get off me, white manjuu!" he growled, unsheathing his sword.

"Waa, Kuro-puu's scary!" Mokona wailed and he hopped into Fai's arms.

"Kuro-rin!" Fai said in his usual cheerful tone, "Look!"

"What?" Kurogane asked gruffly, turning in the direction the mage was pointing.

Syaoran and Sakura had walked up to the crumbling walls of a small town. They were reading a sign that stood to the side of the entrance.

"What's this?" Fai asked curiously.

"There's supposedly an epidemic in this town," Syaoran said worriedly, "I don't think Sakura-hime should go in there."

"Hmmm," the magic-user seemed lost in thought until he caught sight of the two people from before.

"Mekyo!" Mokona suddenly said his eyes abnormally large.

Nobody noticed, however, but kept their eyes on the duo that approached them. Syaoran and Fai looked mainly at the younger of the two strangers. Light-blue markings ran up and down his arms until they were covered up with a black t-shirt. Black, fingerless gloves covered his similarly marked hands. His deep, azure eyes looked at them with a mixture of sadness and long-suffered pain.

His companion, on the other hand, had a superior air about him. The man's green eyes glinted evilly as he glanced at the young teenager. He strangely reminded Fai of Ashura, the reason being they both looked and acted alike. Both the boy and the man stopped a few feet in front of Syaoran and the others.

"I wouldn't recommend going in there," the man said, signaling towards the town, "There's been a terrible plague and most of the villagers are dead."

He smirked, looking sideways at his companion as he said "plague".

"Who are you?" Kurogane demanded.

"Akito Kurotsuki," he replied.

"And you? What's your name?" Fai asked the younger person friendily.

"…," the boy didn't respond.

"Aah, he's my nephew," Akito said quickly, "he doesn't talk much."

"What's his name, then?" Kurogane asked; it wasn't exactly a question, more like a demand for an answer.

"Aoshi Tsubasa," Akito replied.

"Aoshi…," Sakura said thoughtfully.

"What? Do you know him?" Syaoran asked his forbidden lover.

/Flashback/

A 6-year-old Sakura let her "imaginary friend" (actually Syaoran) through the busy market. Touya and Yukito followed a little ways behind. The elder brother looked extremely bored at the fact he was ordered by his father to baby-sit his little sister.

"! Look!" Sakura said happily to the invisible being, pointing at a small stand where a group of gypsies played various instruments while a boy and his mother sold things like jewelry and other accessories.

She bent down to look at the trinkets. It was a silver tiara studded with sapphire and turquoise.

"Aah, you must be princess Sakura," the lady said warmly, "Would you like it?" she asked, gesturing to the crown.

"Hai!" the younger girl said, and the lady placed it on her head.

"Then you can have it," she said kindly.

"Arigatou!" Sakura squealed and she dragged her invisible comrade after her, but not before looking back and waving to the two traders while smiling; the boy ducked behind his mother to hide the blush that had quickly spread across his face.

/End Flashback/

"You seem awfully familiar…I feel like I've met you before," Sakura said, still sifting through her memories, trying to find one that included Aoshi in it.

"Probably just déjà vu," Akito said simply, shrugging.

Sakura nodded; that must be it. Aoshi, of course, thought differently but didn't argue with his 'uncle'. He stayed silent while Akito invited the four friends – and Mokona – to his mansion.

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O.O

All Syaoran, Sakura, Fai and Kurogane could stand and stare at how huge Akito's mansion really was. It was at least two times the size of your average castle, and the friends could see servants and butlers bustling about the monstrous stead. The manor was made of what seemed to be white marble, there were silver-and-marble pillars on either sides of the two large double-door entrance. Even the doors themselves were made of pure silver – completed with onyx door knockers which were two raven heads with heavy rings set in their beaks. Brave, stone dragons guarded the north, south, east and west corners of the abode. Their large fangs, claws and horns were made of actual teeth from some kind of monster and silver scythes were attached to their tails.

"Hyuu," Fai 'whistled' at the sight, finally recovering from his shock, "I bet even Kuro-wan would have trouble if he had to fight one of those," he said, meaning the frozen stone guardians.

"Yes, well, why don't you come in?" Akito asked politely, putting on a fake smile – though no one could tell.

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They were seated at a long, dark-wood table that was located in a _huge_ dining hall. An array of food was lay out in front of the small group, ranging from side-salads to an entire cow which was covered in some kind of foreign spices and herbs no one recognized. Once they had filled their plates, the four friends decided to ask Akito a bit about the country they had landed in. Before they could though, Syaoran noticed something missing.

"Akito-san," he asked, "Where is Aoshi-san?"

"He will not be dining with us," Akito said, blunt as always.

"Why not?" Sakura wondered aloud, "Is he sick?"

"No," the wealthy man replied, "he does not eat," everyone stared at him so he added, "I do not know why."

"I see, well," Fai said, changing the subject to what they planned to start with, "Akito-san, we were wondering about this country's history, since we've just recently arrived here."

"Heh, you're not the only one who's come here asking that. Tell me," Akito leaned forward in his chair a bit, "is it because of the sickness that has been plaguing this town?"

"It is," Fai replied, becoming the spokesperson for the group.

"Then I will tell you what I have told you the others," Akito leaned back into his tall-backed chair, "This epidemic has been here ever since last fall. The villagers say it is from my company which has been borrowing resources from this town – such as the forest that surrounded this place and minerals from the soil. Some of the elders, however, seem intent in pinning it down on Aoshi, saying he has been cursed with some sort of strange power."

"Why would they think that?" Sakura asked suddenly.

"One of them – who goes by the name Shinshigumi Kira – recognizes his markings from a book of legends she read while browsing through my library when I had invited all of the village elders to dinner," Akito sighed, "She _claims_ they are the symbol of great power and only 3 beings have ever possessed them – the last one being from over 200 years ago so it is hard to believe since no one has lived that long to provide proof."

"Hmm…" Kurogane mumbled, thinking over what the rich house owner had just said, then something clicked in his mind, "You said Kira found this book in _your_ library?"

Syaoran realized what the samurai was getting at and asked, "May we see it?"

Akito hesitated for a second before slowly getting up, "Follow me."

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For a second time that day, Syaoran and the others stood aghast and unable to move as they stared at the colossal collection of books located in the center of the mansion. Akito walked over to the section labeled "L" and plucked a very old, thick, dusty, leather-bound book from one of the middle shelves. He handed it to Syaoran who thanked him and, along with Kurogane, Fai and Sakura, became engrossed in the anchient volume as they leafed through the tattered, yellowed papers.

"Hyuu! Look at this; it says there're 400 different legends in here!" Fai said happily, pointing at the table of contents.

"Akito-san?" Syaoran called over to the man sitting in a fluffy chair.

"Hmm?" he asked boredly.

"What was this legend called?"

"I have no idea," Akito replied and everyone sweatdropped.

"Right, then lets start with number 1!" Sakura said cheerily.

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**Alright! So there's chapter 1!!!!!! I'm really not exactly sure what I'm gonna do with this poor story in a few chapters but until then I'll keep writing it! (I never plan ahead…)**


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